A fourth progressive that had a lasting impact was Mother Jones. She was born in Ireland and was known for coordinating many strikes and marches, the most well-known being the children’s march, the goal of which was to get child labor laws. During this march, Mother Jones walked with children who were working in the mills from Philadelphia to New York to see President Theodore Roosevelt. The President stays out of town during the march, however, as a result of this march, child labor laws gets a lot of publicity. In addition, as the cofounder of the IWW, she organized many strikes and was a sincere advocate for workers’ rights. Regarding the Hofstader thesis, Mother Jones would not be considered a WASP because she was an immigrant, Catholic,
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One example would be John Muir who although did not fit the profile according to Hofstadter, still emphasized many reforms catering to the middle-class. Specifically, he championed for leisure activities for the middle-class. He founded the Sierra club which supports environmental protections and also is closely associated with the Yosemite National Park. Another progressive that emphasized middle-class reforms was Frances Willard. She was President of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and advocated for reforms that helped mostly middle-class women. These reforms included Prohibition and Women’s Suffrage. She also embodied the profile of progressives in Hofstadter’s thesis. Although these individuals mostly fit Hofstadter’s profile, there are few of the individuals committed to middle-class reform and many more committed to a broader reform. The reform done by those committed to broader reform is more plentiful and significant compared to those emphasizing middle-class reform. Throughout the Progressive Era, there was much reform done by all walks of life for all walks of life. There is a plethora of examples of individuals who advocate for mostly working-class rights such as Jacob Riis and Mother Jones. Thus, Hofstadter’s thesis is flawed because there are many progressives who not only do not fit the profile in his thesis, but also do not only advocate for middle-class reform. The Progressive Era was fueled by the diversity of the many
One example would be John Muir who although did not fit the profile according to Hofstadter, still emphasized many reforms catering to the middle-class. Specifically, he championed for leisure activities for the middle-class. He founded the Sierra club which supports environmental protections and also is closely associated with the Yosemite National Park. Another progressive that emphasized middle-class reforms was Frances Willard. She was President of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and advocated for reforms that helped mostly middle-class women. These reforms included Prohibition and Women’s Suffrage. She also embodied the profile of progressives in Hofstadter’s thesis. Although these individuals mostly fit Hofstadter’s profile, there are few of the individuals committed to middle-class reform and many more committed to a broader reform. The reform done by those committed to broader reform is more plentiful and significant compared to those emphasizing middle-class reform. Throughout the Progressive Era, there was much reform done by all walks of life for all walks of life. There is a plethora of examples of individuals who advocate for mostly working-class rights such as Jacob Riis and Mother Jones. Thus, Hofstadter’s thesis is flawed because there are many progressives who not only do not fit the profile in his thesis, but also do not only advocate for middle-class reform. The Progressive Era was fueled by the diversity of the many